Choosing the right web host for your site is one of the most important and challenging decisions you'll ever make. Before you begin your search, make sure you have a comprehensive list of your site's hosting needs. Here are a few ‘verification’ points to make sure you’re dealing with a web host that’s reliable: - Past Performance Go through the host’s web site and see how long they’ve been running the site. (I’ll come back to this later) Any awards they’ve won? Any well-known sites they’re hosting? (You’ll usually find a list of clients on the site or you can look for testimonials.) These should give you enough peace of mind to deal with this particular web host.
One of the most important features is the up-time. A web site hosted on the server of a specific web hosting provider may experience technical issues and servers may crash during this period. If a web surfer visits your site during this time, they will not be able to view it. The up-time is usually shown as a percentage. This gives you an idea of how long the sites hosted by that particular web host are up and running smoothly. Anything above 98% is considered good. Many web hosts now guarantee a certain percentage up-time, such as 99.8%. Flexibility: A web hosting plan with a minimum plan is beneficial because it allows you to switch to a different plan as your needs change. Web Hosts that only offer one type of plan are not suitable for everyone.
Compare the cost and features of several web hosting providers. Make sure that the features match your needs. Also, make sure that all your basic needs are taken care of. Check out the availability of up-to-date technologies on the hosting’s hosting feature list, even if you don’t need them. Payment plans: Take a close look at the web hosting provider’s payment plans. A monthly plan is always a good option, even if it’s a bit more expensive. You can always switch providers at any time. Most web hosting providers now offer a 30-day money back guarantee. Support: This is one of the most important features of a web hosting company. Consider what kind of support they offer their clients, like telephone support, email support, FAQ section, etc. Perhaps a dedicated discussion board/forum will help. Also, look out for delays in responses, especially for email support. Having a web hosting provider that supports clients 24/7 is a great feature.
Last but not least, backup. In the last few years, we have seen a lot of sites with huge amounts of pages going away. Why? Technical issues on the server and no backup. Nobody wants to see all their hard work go away in a matter of seconds. Nowadays, most of the good web hosting providers have a built-in automatic backup feature on a daily basis. Choosing the right web host for you is all about what matters to you.